Swiss vote on taxing spouses, media licence fee, cash availability and climate fund

Ballot boxes are set to close at noon on Sunday. Swiss citizens are voting on a referendum, three popular initiatives and a counterproposal. The results will be out the same day. Four national topics are at stake this weekend: a referendum against parliament’s proposal to tax married couples individually, a popular initiative aimed at lowering the public media licence fee, an initiative and a counterproposal to anchor the future of cash in the constitution, and an initiative to create a new climate fund. The end of the ‘marriage tax penalty’? The first topic the Swiss are voting on is a referendum against parliament’s decision to introduce individual taxation for married couples. According to the latest poll, conducted by gfs.bern for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC, Swissinfo’s parent company), in mid-February 52% of the population would have approved this major change to the Swiss tax system; 44% would have been against it; and 4% were undecided. This reflects a sharp ...